Trade Mark & Copyright Editorial 2017
CMS in Hungary is recommended for its soft IP practice, with copyright at the forefront, thanks to its TMT practice. Its IP/IT team is led by Dóra Petrányi. She is supported by two experienced associates, Eszter Csapó and Agnes Solyom.
The award-winning boutique Danubia is a market leader in prosecution work in Hungary. The firm offers related legal services through its collaboration with sister company Sár & Partners. Head of trade marks Éva Szigeti is experienced in registration work and disputes. Miklós Sóvári is another notable practitioner who is dual qualified as a lawyer and European trade mark attorney. In Sár & Partners, Eszter Szakács, Ildikó Komor Hennel, Judit Lantos and Zsófia Klauber are among the senior partners for contentious trade mark and design instructions. Szakács is listed in Managing IP's Top 250 Women in IP (2017). Katalin Horváth and name partner Csaba Sár are the leading copyright specialists in the team but Sár stands out, as one rival admits: "Csaba Sár is one of the best copyright and media lawyers in Hungary, no doubt about that."
Gödölle Kékes Mészáros & Szabó's patent attorneys receive much praise in patent prosecution work but they are also recommended for trade marks. Marcell Kereszty is picked out as one such versatile attorney. Three founding members are available to the team as consultants.
Baker McKenzie operates as Kajtár Takács Hegymegi-Barakonyi Baker McKenzie in Hungary. Just like in other jurisdictions, the firm is respected here in trade mark and copyright. Its global network is indeed a key advantage over its rivals. Name partner Zoltán Hegymegi-Barakonyi is the leader but behind the scenes the rising IP star is Zsófia Lendvai. Ádám Liber is another notable associate in the team. For IP-related transactions the team can rely on M&A specialist Pál P Takács. Recent case studies show varied workload including domain names, anti-counterfeiting, IP licensing and copyright advice.
The IP team at Knight Bird & Bird Iroda is led by Bálint Halász, who is now counsel. The team can handle a range of soft IP instructions including trade mark prosecution. Bettina Kövecses is a notable IP associate. The team also benefits from Bird & Bird's international network.
Oppenheim is getting the recognition it deserves in IP, thanks to the leadership of former SBGK lawyer Áron László. László is highly recommended by his peers and was made a partner in January 2017. "This is a new firm coming up and they are aggressive," says one market commentator. The firm is recommended for trade mark contentious and prosecution work.
Boutique firm SBGK houses one of the elite IP teams in this jurisdiction. The firm offers a comprehensive service in IP including prosecution and copyright advice. Managing partner Katalin Szamosi and Péter Lukácsi are the leading lights in a team of experienced soft IP practitioners such as Máté Borbás, Enikő Karsay and Gabriella Sasvári. Szamosi is listed in Managing IP's Top 250 Women in IP (2017). Case studies reveal the firm represented Seven Towns in the high-profile Rubik's Cube shape mark dispute which reached the CJEU. The firm is also advising a streaming music provider on a recent court case concerning performers' royalties. Ádám György is a rising star to watch.
Rivals do not hesitate to praise and recommend Szecskay Attorneys at Law for IP litigation. "If I send my clients to them I think they will be safe," says one. The IP department is headed up by name partner András Szecskay. Soft IP instructions including trade mark protection advice are led by Gusztáv Bacher. "Excellent lawyers," one opponent adds. IP scholar Gábor Faludi is the copyright specialist in the team. "He is number one in copyright in this country," says one market commentator. The senior practitioners are supported by a team of associates. One client commends the team for "attention to detail regarding client's needs and their willingness to go beyond requirements".
